by J. C. Owens
He did not seem to be in the confines of a harem; there were no bars, no other men. There was nothing that seemed dangerous, only open glass doors that led out to a massive balcony and curtains brushing softly over the mosaic floor. Bright sunlight streamed in through the window, stopping just short of the bed he lay on, and outside he could hear birds cheerfully going about their day without regard for human fears and concerns.
He slowly rolled over and checked the rest of the room. No one was in sight, but his eyes widened at the size of the room and of the bed. Both were massive. The room was larger than the whole ground floor of the little house Jaden had grown up in, and its luxurious appointments and quiet good taste radiated wealth. Beautiful hangings adorned the great stone walls; thick, rich carpets lined the intricate mosaic floor; and the furniture looked to be generations old and was of such quality as Jaden had never seen.
The bed was big enough for six people at least, and he felt lost in it, like a child. Its coverings, in rich shades of copper and brown, felt like silk against his skin, and by the looks of the material, it might truly be silk—something he had only had the privilege to touch once before in his life. He sat up then, gaping at it all like the poor boy he had always been. Even Mailyn and the wealthy people he had known had owned nothing like this. It was like another world entirely.
The open doors of the terrace called to him, the possibility of escape ever present in his mind. He started to slide off the massive bed with some difficulty as his head spun. It wasn’t until he heard the faint clink of metal that finally he felt his bindings. He looked down and froze in place when he saw the ornate cuff that bound his ankle, attached to a silver chain that snaked across the floor to a ring embedded in the wall. He reached down to tug on it, for it looked so delicate, unable to hold him. It was then that he saw the matching cuff on the other ankle and the delicate bracelets upon his wrists. Cautiously he put a hand to his throat, and sure enough, a filigree collar marked what he was. Jaden’s eyes widened in horror and he pulled upon all his bindings in turn with deep revulsion. Though they were delicate, they were made of a metal that was extremely strong; his best efforts did not make them yield at all.
He fought with them for some time, too stubborn to give in immediately, but in the end, he remained exactly where he had begun—chained at his new master’s mercy, bound to a man who was reputed to have none.
He took a deep, shaky breath and tried to bring himself under control. Whatever else may happen, he had survived the first taking, and surely that was something. He flushed a little as memory came in vivid flashes of what exactly had happened in that bath the night before. Survived was perhaps not the perfect description. Despite his own reluctance, the emperor had not beaten him nor given him undue pain.
With memory came the knowledge of discomfort. His ass throbbed as he moved, and he grimaced in distaste at the realization that his master’s seed probably still resided deep in his body, marking him, tainting him. Still, he had known true pain in the last years. Despite his hatred and fear of his new master, he could not say that he had been deliberately harmed more than was needful in the taking. Certainly, so far the leader of Tranaden had been more merciful than Mailyn. Not that that could continue.
Jaden shakily gained his feet, tried to ignore his bonds, and with faltering steps made his way across the floor to the open welcome of the glass doors. He stood just within them, suddenly halted by the length of his chain. He tugged viciously on it and felt the bite of metal on his ankle. But it held easily, and he subsided with a grunt of anger. He stared outside blindly for long moments until he could come back to himself and take in the beauty before him.
He quickly realized that even without his chain, there would be no escape from this room. The sound of the birds came from below the balcony. He could just see the tips of several massive legendary Tranaden oaks he had heard so much about. If those trees were below him, then this room was remarkably high, and short of flying, he certainly would not be able to free himself.
The chain was most likely meant to ensure he would not fling himself over the railing. His lips twisted bitterly. That thought was not his…yet. To take his own life would be mere selfishness. He had a duty to his sister to live. Somehow he had to endure, to find a way to free himself and find her. If he could find a way to lull his captor into believing he was compliant, then perhaps his chains would be removed. For Yamina, he would do whatever it took to escape.
As time passed and no one came, Jaden snatched a pillow from the bed and sat cross-legged upon it as close to the open doors as the chain allowed. From here he could see the sky and feel the breeze upon his skin. He could hear the birds and occasionally see them wheeling in the air with joy in their movements. He could only envy their freedom.
His stomach growled unhappily. As if that were a cue, all of a sudden the double doors across the suite swung open, and several servants appeared carrying trays of food. They ignored Jaden, tending to their business with single-minded absorption as they set the food down on a large ornate table on the right side of the room.
The tantalizing smells wafted to Jaden, and he began to drool despite his proud efforts to ignore it all. He was so desperately hungry and thirsty.
All this activity seemed orchestrated by a small man of undetermined age who bustled about, his voice biting as he chivied the servants to hurry yet do it perfectly. Jaden saw one of the girls roll her eyes behind the man’s back. He had to turn away to hide a sudden rush of humor.
The man was all too similar in temperament to many of the servants of Mailyn’s harem—self-important and miserable with it, trying to force others to see them as leaders. His thoughts wandered as he returned to his quiet contemplation of the outdoors and its lure of freedom.
A blow to the back of Jaden’s head sent him off the pillow and to his knees. He whirled on all fours, looking like a beast of prey as he snarled his rage. The small man had obviously not expected such a violent reaction, for he leapt back with a yelp, his wide eyes fastened on the man-beast before him. He recovered quickly, straightening his uniform with annoyed jerks of his hands before glaring at Jaden.
“So, you are his new toy. I would have thought His Imperial Majesty could have had better at his disposal than you. His harem contains only the most beautiful, cultured slaves.”
Jaden’s snarl echoed in the room as he rose to his full height, his eyes narrowed with fury. No son-of-a-bitch servant was going to treat him like this, regardless of his status in this household. Jaden would probably get a beating for this, but at the moment it seemed worth it.
The small man let out an eep of alarm and danced backward in some haste toward the doorway. Obviously knowing exactly how far Jaden’s chain would reach, he stopped there and sneered, trying to regain his tattered pride.
“Filthy Astorian. Your kind should not be here; Astorians bring nothing but grief and trouble. When I tell the emperor what you have done…”
“Tell me of what, Ignis?” The emperor’s calm, cool voice sliced into the tension of the moment, making both Ignis and Jaden freeze in place. Jaden’s stomach clenched as he held his breath. The emperor strode casually into the room, removing his leather gloves as he did so. His eyes were focused on the table full of food. “Is there a problem I should know of?”
Jaden drew a deep, shuddering breath as he fixed his gaze upon his new master. In the light of day the emperor seemed so…normal. He was not paying attention to Jaden; it was evident that he was hungry as any man might be. He still radiated the power that was so much part of him. His face still held no warmth, but here and now, he did not seem the demon that Jaden believed him to be.
Recovering, Ignis gave a malicious smirk in Jaden’s direction. “Your new slave tried to attack me, Your Imperial Majesty. I think…”
The emperor seated himself at the table with lithe grace and turned to face the other occupants of the room; his cold brown gaze passed over both Jaden and Ignis as he arched one eyebrow in query. �
��Jaden, is this true?”
Jaden’s fists clenched, but Mailyn’s torments had taught him well. For a slave to speak back, even to a servant… He knew all too well the punishments involved. It took everything in him to bow his head in submission, jaw clenched with the rage he fought to hide. “Yes… Master.”
“Ah.” The single word seemed to contain so much more meaning. The emperor’s piercing gaze regarded Jaden with cool intensity. “Look at me, Jaden.”
With a deeply drawn breath, Jaden looked up, calling upon all his courage to meet those eyes and waiting for the punishment he was certain would be inflicted. The emperor watched his expression in silence before a small smile tilted the corners of his mouth. Jaden’s heart jolted in fear.
The emperor’s hawklike gaze swung to Ignis, who was watching the byplay with a smug expression, eagerly awaiting the slave’s punishment. “You did not do anything to incite him, did you, Ignis?” The question hung in the air for a long moment. Both Jaden and Ignis stared at the emperor in disbelief.
Ignis’s squawk of outrage pierced the air. “I did no such thing, my lord. I only…”
The emperor held up a hand, silencing his servant immediately. His tone was calm and cool but with a faint bite to it that gave warning. “Do not mistake Jaden for the others, Ignis. He is nothing like them. He is a wolf, and they are lambs.”
Jaden was speechless with confusion, and Ignis was reduced to sputtering excuses and nurturing his outrage with further protestations of innocence.
“Enough.” The emperor’s command pierced Ignis’s outpourings like a sword. “You will respect his space. You will tell the others also. He is dangerous, and you will treat him with the respect due any wild thing. Is that clear?”
Ignis bowed, shaking. It was clear to Jaden that the servant knew the emperor’s flat tone only too well and had enough sense to seek to avoid it.
“Yes, my liege. I will inform the others of your orders.” He bowed respectfully and stepped backward to the door, shooting a last glare in Jaden’s direction when the emperor turned back to his food.
Jaden curled a lip in response. His fists slowly unclenched as the doors closed and he was left alone with his new master. His wondering gaze turned back to the emperor. He had expected degradation, to be made to bow to even the lowest of servants. But with those few words, the man had given Jaden back more of his selfrespect than even Galen had ever managed.
“Come, Jaden. I know you are hungry and thirsty.”
Jaden took a tentative step forward, wary of the emperor’s cool command but hungry enough to obey. As long as he was obedient, his new master seemed lenient enough, but he had no doubt what would happen if he was the least bit disrespectful. Ignis was proof of that. The emperor was a ruler to his fingertips, and no one was allowed to question that.
The emperor gestured with one hand to a pillow at his feet, and although Jaden wanted to feel anger at the position, he knew his place here. Whatever he himself felt inside, to this man, he was slave and had best act like one, or else the emperor’s leniency would swiftly disappear. Jaden was not a fool, no matter what else he may believe of himself. He’d had the foolishness beaten out of him a long time ago. Now there was only survival.
He sank down cautiously upon the thick pillow and arranged himself on his knees. He knew the way of it. He was expected to kiss the hand that fed him, bow to the ground for each scrap. But he blinked in confusion when the emperor handed down to him a plate of bread, various cheeses, and a simple omelet, along with a large mug of water.
After putting the water on the floor, Jaden balanced the plate on his lap, tensing as the emperor leaned toward him…to offer a fork. Jaden stared at the utensil in his master’s hand for long moments before looking up at him without comprehension.
“It is a fork, Jaden. That is all.” The emperor pressed it into his hand, then turned back to his own meal.
Jaden could not take his eyes off the utensil clutched in his fingers. It was just a fork…and yet it was so much more than that. It was the first time he had been allowed to eat like a civilized man since his enslavement. Tears rose behind his lids. He fought them down, angry at himself for the weakness.
He bent his head and focused on eating the fluffy omelet slowly, treasuring every tasty mouthful. It was pure heaven, and he did not realize he had vocalized his pleasure until the emperor cupped his chin and leaned down to kiss him.
“If you continue with those intensely erotic noises, my wolf, I am afraid you will not finish your meal. Nor will I.” A faint smile curved his lips, and his brown eyes were amused, without inner darkness for that moment in time.
Jaden could feel a flush heat his cheeks as he realized what he had been doing, but he did not jerk away from the casual touch. It was worth more than his life to disobey. His master was being almost kind, but that could change in a heartbeat.
He stared into those intense eyes and swallowed hard. His muscles trembled faintly as he prepared himself to be hauled to the great bed. He wished he had at least drunk some of the water…
The emperor leaned back and drew long fingers lingeringly down Jaden’s cheek before turning back to his meal. “Eat, Jaden. You are too thin. I know that bitch does not feed her slaves properly.”
Jaden swiftly took a drink of water with the headiness of relief, then grasped the fork again, but he paused as a thought struck him. “Master?”
The emperor looked down at him as he broke a bread bun in half to be buttered. “Yes, Jaden?”
Jaden savored the use of his own name when for so long he had been forced to answer to another. “With all respect, Master, what of the other slave who came with me? Rem. Is he all right?”
His master’s lips quirked, and he drew his fingers through Jaden’s hair in a soothing caress that seemed to belie his normally cold visage. “He is fine, my wolf. He got to eat before you did, even though he had not endured such strenuous activity as you had…”
Jaden had to look down again, feeling even more color heat his cheeks. How could he reconcile the emperor’s behavior with what he had so long expected? It did not seem to match at all… The fingers gave a last gentle tug of his hair, then left him. There was only the sound of two hungry men eating then—a calm, almost soothing peace in the room.
Several minutes later, Jaden still felt hungry though he had swept the plate spotlessly clean. He sat staring mournfully at the piece of crockery as though it might suddenly produce more food. Nothing seemed to escape the emperor’s notice; he laughed a little as he took the plate from Jaden’s fingers.
“Soon I will give you more, Jaden, but for now, you must be a little careful. Too much rich food after what you have endured will only make you desperately ill. That is not precisely what I want you feeling right now.” He leaned down and casually unsnapped the chain from Jaden’s ankle. Jaden had been utterly unable to free himself, and this man did it so easily. It was yet another reminder of the legendary strength the emperor possessed.
The emperor presented Jaden with another mug of fresh, cold water, which he eagerly downed—his thirst seemingly endless. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His inner sense of peace vanished as he saw the emperor rise and walk to the bed, unfastening his uniform as he went.
Jaden tensed, hoping against hope that this time would be as free of brutality as it had been in the bathing room. He was still tender within, and a hard taking— Still, there was nothing to do but face whatever his master had planned, so he rose to his feet, hoping the emperor had not noticed his brief pause.
His master finished disrobing, rummaged in the drawer of a small table by the bed, and fished out a bottle of oil, which he placed strategically within reach. Then with lithe grace, he lay down upon the bed, his black hair splaying out over the copper-colored sheets. He rolled to his side and propped up his head with one hand so he could watch Jaden. His expression held cool watchfulness as he beckoned his slave to join him.
With a pounding hear
t and sweat-dampened palms, Jaden did so, trying to swallow his own fear, control it. He could do this. This man had shown more care of him so far than any other person but Galen. If Jaden kept him pleased with his obedience, perhaps—just maybe—his lenience would continue. Jaden was not foolish enough to test the waters and see how far the emperor could be tried. He could bear what he already had; it was far superior to what he had endured with Mailyn.
Jaden knelt upon the softness of the bed, his uncertain eyes meeting his master’s as he waited for orders. The emperor turned onto his back, his long limbs sprawling comfortably, and never took his attention from Jaden. His right hand stroked his slave’s cheek, then slid firmly up into his thick hair, closing in it as he urged Jaden down.
Jaden bent to the silent command, his attention veering to his new task. Before him lay the emperor’s massive shaft, for the moment lying half-hard against his dark thigh. It twitched as Jaden looked at it, engorging still more, eagerly awaiting his touch.
Swallowing hard, Jaden put out his hand and gently grasped it. He was amazed at the sheer heat and weight of it against his palm. The skin slid over the hardness beneath, silk over steel, and the veins became prominent as it began to swell to its full potential.
Jaden froze when the emperor touched his other hand, but it was only to press a small bottle of oil into his grip, nothing more dangerous. Jaden was rather proud of his ability to control his faint trembling enough to pour the oil into his palm without spilling any onto the fine sheets. He warmed it a little, then gently grasped his quarry once more.
He began to slowly pump the shaft, his hand loosening on the upstroke and tightening on the downstroke. It throbbed under his fingers like an entity of its own. The emperor let out a small gasp as the warmth engulfed his heated length, his hands crumpling the sheets between spasming fingers as Jaden slowly pumped his master’s shaft.